by Chuck Nishihira
This small statured, small flowered Bulbophyllum in the section Sestochilos is fairly widespread in distribution, but you don’t see it much in cultivation. It occurs in Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Southern China, and Vietnam. My particular plant I believe came from Vietnam over a decade ago and in that time has never gotten over 3.5″ tall. The few photos that I have seen of this species shows a plant quite a bit larger. I don’t know if it is my particular clone or if it is normal for plants from Vietnam. While the flowers are small 3/4″, held up high against such a small clone, it really is very attractive. I have always thought that this species looks like a miniature B. dearei. I originally received it as B. devangiriense, then was told it was B. monanthum, and now I find that it is currently identified as B. pteroglossum. At least the first two names are synonyms, so it’s identity was always in the right direction.